SELLERS!This is still a great time to sell. Bakersfield still saw an appreciation in 2017 of approximately 3%.

If you're planning to sell your home in the next few months, this FREE service is designed to help establish your home's current market value. Simply choose Market Analysis and fill out the requested information. I will use comparable sold, pending and active listings to help you calculate the fair market value of your home.

If you find that your home is worth less than what is owed. I can help you prevent foreclosure by assisting you with a short sale. A short sale is selling your home for less than what is owed with approval from the bank. As tough as it is to have to lose your home, please keep in mind that this is the ultimate act of responsibility that a seller can do.

I have been a realtor for over 16 years and have over 11 years experience with short sales with a 97% success rate. I have helped hundreds of people successfully short sale their home. I am also starting to help those same clients buy homes again. Yes, there is life after short selling your home!

The benefits for the seller includes closure and knowing the seller has "settled" the debt with the bank. As long as it is your primary residence, there are decreased chances of tax consequences (Check with your tax advisor to make sure of your particular situation).

The IRS has now made The Mortgage Forgiveness Act a tax law. This means there isn't a deadline for doing a short sale. The California Tax Franchise Board has taken the same position as the IRS on the tax forgiveness.

This allows you to advantage of the tax laws and bank laws instituted by the federal and state governments that protect you from tax liabilities and paying back the bank the difference between what the home sold and what you owed. Call me to get all the details on this.

If you decide to do a short sale, plan on staying in the home until the close of escrow. There are many benefits to this. You get to stay in your home a little longer. Also, the home stays kept up and looking good. By the seller staying in the home until escrow closes, it also reduces the risk of vandalism.

BUYERS!Now is one of the best times for a buyer to purchase a home. Prices are still low and interest rates are still low.

There are some loans programs out there to assist with closing costs &/or down payments including Platinum, CHDAP and some other grant programs. However; there are some guidelines and income restrictions; and not all lenders are offering this. Call me or email me so I can point you in the right direction.

If you have done in a short sale and it has been over 18 months, please call me. Lender have lightened their restrictions and depending on your situation; you may be able to buy as early as two years, three years at the latest. If you need some credit repair first, CALL ME! I have lenders who will help with this for no charge.

Buyers when you decide that you are ready to purchase a home. The first thing you need to do is meet with a lender. If you don't have a lender, I will refer you to a lender to fit your needs. This will help you determine the purchase price of a home, the monthly payments and how much money you will need down. Also, in this market, you cannot even write up an offer without having your lending situated.

After you do that, call me. I can help you find your home no matter who it is listed with, if it is resale, new construction, short sale or foreclosure. Even if you don't call me, pick an agent to work with. It is easier to work with one agent, instead of calling 10 different agents.

Automatically receive personalized MLS listings by e-mail. I will sign you up on my buyer/seller toolkit which will automatically send you listings based on your criteria. On this program you will be emailed the most current listings as soon as they go on the MLS. Simply choose Dream Home Finder and fill in the requested information. Or, search for yourself at Search For Homes.

SpecializationI specialize in many areas of real estate including, new construction, luxury homes, investments, investor flip, 1031 exchanges, first-time home buyers. I have been representing my clients in the purchases and selling of single-family residences and income properties within the cities of Bakersfield and outlying areas including Shafter, Arvin, Tehachapi and Taft. I also have a 90% repeat and referral rate with my clients.

I also have nine years of experience with shortsales and have a 97% success rate. I also can help you with bankowned, preforeclosures, defaults and new construction. Once we have an accepted offer; I also have my team in place for every aspect of the escrow to make the transition as smooth as possible.

FinancingI work with several lenders who specialize in all areas of real estate including commercial, residential, land, and first time home buyers. Many of these programs also work with less than perfect credit and self-employed. There is also 100% financing for veterans. If you do not qualify right away, we offer credit counseling to help get you on track to be able to buy.